Loud calls, bags on seats: People don’t know how to behave on public transport anymore

When my wife and I moved to the inner city we sold our cars and chose to walk or use public transport. We soon decided to walk more rather than use trams or trains. This was for the simple reason that passenger behaviour had deteriorated to such an extent that walking was a better option.

Leaving aside the fare evasion, which is endemic and persistent, it’s the rudeness and boorish manner of some travellers that can turn any journey into misery. Take for example the imperviousness mobile phone users have to decorum. Why do people have to speak so loudly on their phones?

Do they really think no one can hear a sometimes disturbingly frank and intimate conversation? Do you really need to share with a community of passengers, details of your love life, your arguing, your family or what you may think of colleagues?

And what about games, or videos played at full volume? Then there is the music. There are signs on public transport to keep your music personal – some do not. Unless you have noise-cancelling headphones there is often sound seepage where other passengers have to suffer.

Am I the only one who gives in and gets off a tram because of passenger behaviour and take pot luck on the next tram or just walk to my destination? Many times fellow passengers who have frustration with other travellers have made eye contact with me; an eyeroll and sigh says it all. It’s a fellowship of the suffering.

According to the Victorian auditor-general’s office, 1 million people use the public transport network daily for “needs like school, work and healthcare.” However, Victoria has only 721 authorised officers on the network. This is an entirely inadequate number of officers for daily travellers. Their duties include: “To help prevent anti-social behaviour and report offences such as fare evasion, littering and smoking.”

But because there are so few of them, passengers know they are really very unlucky to get nabbed for fare evasion let alone being overtly solipsistic. They are at a very low risk of being officially admonished.

What is clear is that there has been, by some, a complete abrogation of politeness and consideration for the comfort, respect and wellbeing of fellow passengers. If you are on a crowded train or tram when there is standing room only, why do people put their bag on an empty seat? Should you have to ask for it to be moved? Why are backpacks not taken off when it is obvious they hinder other passengers?

What about feet on seats? Someone with their feet on the seat sends a very definite message: I will do what I like and you can go figure … Does paying your fare, or not, privilege you to think you can act as you like regardless of other passengers?

Orange seats on public transport are meant for the infirm or disabled. They too are taken and are huffily relinquished on a pleading request.

It’s too glib to say society has changed and what was once seen as polite is no longer the case. Surely manners still matter though. I have grey hair and am definitely past my best, but it is only international students who offer me their seat.

I have seen so many untethered and mean looking dogs on trams brought on by non-paying passengers that it is hardly a surprise now, along with electric scooters, alcohol being drunk, even attempts to bring bicycles on trams in peak hour. There is clear signage that this is not to be done, but they are ignored.

Given that it is difficult to see a renaissance of simple courtesy, consideration and depletion of rudeness on public transport while some travellers do as they choose, a smidgin of politeness and actual thought for others would go a long way. Maybe people do not wish to hear the moronic sound of a shooter video game, or want to hear about your life, or listen to your choice of music or videos played on your phone.

Yes, I squib it when I think language fit for a shearing shed and loud music is beyond decency and tolerance. I do not want to face a surly “Make me” challenge or worse. Still it is a blissful moment when such passengers get off before I do.

Christopher Bantick is a Melbourne writer.

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